Abstract: In an air conditioning apparatus, an air conditioning case has an upstream portion defining an air intake port through which air flows into the upstream portion substantially parallel to a core surface of a heat exchanger. The air intake port has a vertical dimension H1 that is smaller than a vertical dimension H2 of the core surface. The upstream portion has an air flow direction changing portion protruding inside of the upstream portion at a position opposite to the core surface above the air intake port. The air flow direction changing portion defines a clearance between the core surface and itself. A part of the air turned upward and further turned substantially parallel to the core surface strikes the air flow direction changing portion and flows toward the core surface through the clearance.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, an air conditioning case has a front air passage and a rear air passage through which air is blown to a front seat side and a rear seat side in a passenger compartment, respectively. The air conditioner includes an air-blowing amount determination unit for determining an air-blowing amount of a blower, and a correction unit for increasing the air-blowing amount determined by the determination unit when the rear air passage is opened. The correction unit increases an increase amount of the air-blowing amount to be larger in a face mode, than that in a bi-level mode.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a heater core is disposed in an air conditioning case to heat air so that conditioned air is obtained. The air conditioning case has a rear wall surface extending substantially in a vehicle width direction and in a vertical direction, and a foot opening portion is provided in the wall surface at an upper side position of the heater core to extend in an entire width dimension of the wall surface in the vehicle width direction. A foot air duct is connected to the wall surface around the foot opening portion, and extends downwardly to be tilted toward right and left sides. Foot air outlets are provided at a bottom end of the foot air duct to be opened downwardly. Thus, a flow resistance in a foot air-outlet passage can be reduced, and air can be uniformly blown toward a foot area.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a heater core is disposed in an air conditioning case to form front and rear cool air bypass passage through which cool air bypasses the heater core, and front and rear air mixing doors are disposed to independently adjust temperature of air blown toward a front seat side and temperature of air blown toward a rear seat side in a passenger compartment. A switching door is disposed to partition front and rear passage portions of the heater core from each other at a partition position, and to shut the rear passage portion at a rear shutting position. The switching door and the rear air mixing door are connected to a common operation mechanism to be operatively linked with each other.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, an air conditioning case has a front air passage and a rear air passage through which air is blown to a front seat side and a rear seat side in a passenger compartment, respectively. The air conditioner includes an air-blowing amount determination unit for determining an air-blowing amount of a blower, and a correction unit for increasing the air-blowing amount determined by the determination unit when the rear air passage is opened. The correction unit increases an increase amount of the air-blowing amount to be larger in a face mode, than that in a bi-level mode.

Abstract: Various oxime derivatives are provided, which do not cause any chemical damage to plants and which exhibit sufficient effectiveness against various plant diseases. The oxime derivatives are expressed by two general chemical formulas (1) and (2), as follows. Agricultural chemicals and plant disease control chemicals are also provided which contain the above mentioned oxime derivatives as active ingredients. Test results of these agricultural chemicals and the plant disease control chemicals are proved to be very effective for downey mildews and late blights or Phytophthora rot etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gene derived from a thermophilic Bacillus, comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.2 and encoding a thermostable diaphorase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No.1, a recombinant vector possessing the gene, a transformant with the recombinant vector and a process for producing the thermostable diaphorase by using the transformant.

Abstract: A formed rubber extruded product which is formed of a vulcanizate of a rubber blend comprising a sulfur-vulcanizable ethylene-propylene-type rubber (EPDM) as a starting rubber and a pyrolytic foaming agent. The vulcanizate has a specific gravity of from 0.9 to 1.0 and a surface roughness (RZD) of 14 micrometers or less. The rubber blend contains the pyrolytic foaming agent in the form of an inorganic powder-supported foaming agent. A particle diameter of the inorganic powder in the inorganic powder-supported foaming agent is approximately 9 micrometers or less, and a particle diameter of the pyrolytic foaming agent is approximately 8 micrometers or less. Further, crystalline PE is contained in an amount of from 6 to 30 parts per 100 parts of EPDM. The foamed rubber extruded product of the present invention can be produced by the extrusion at a high rate.

Abstract: Test strips by which creatine kinase activity can be quantitatively measured at a high sensitivity within a broad measuring range and which have excellent storage stability. Particularly, test strips for the measurement of creatine kinase activity, which comprises a carrier, a dehydrogenase, a diaphorase, NAD or NADP, and a water-soluble tetrazolium compound.

Abstract: An optically active compound represented by formula (I): wherein A represents ##STR1## wherein R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms; R.sup.1 represents a straight chain alkyl group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms; X represents a fluorine atom or a methyl group; n represents 1 or 2; m represents an integer of from 0 to 3; and C* represents an asymmetric carbon atom, and a liquid crystal composition containing the same are disclosed. The compound exhibits large spontaneous polarization and low viscosity and, when added to an achiral base liquid crystal composition, induces a chiral nematic phase in which the helical pitch has small temperature dependence.

Abstract: An optically active compound which itself generally exhibits no antiferroelectric liquid crystal phase, but which can be added to an antiferroelectric liquid crystal or composition thereof having a high threshold voltage to reduce the threshold voltage of the resulting composition. Also disclosed is an antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the optically active compound, a process for reducing the threshold voltage of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition, a process for producing the optically active compound, and a process for producing an optically active carboxylic acid as an intermediate.

Abstract: A reagent for calcium ion level determination comprising a phospholipid, phospholipase D, choline oxidase, a surfactant and a divalent metal salt. The reagent can easily be prepared and with which quantitative determination of calcium ion can be made over a broad range of a calcium ion concentration with ease and accuracy in a continuous manner.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device is described. The device comprises a pair of substrates, an electrode arrangement formed on the inside surface of the substrates, an orientation control surface provided on the inside surface of one of said substrates, and a blended ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates. By suitably preparing the liquid crystal, multi-micro-domains are formed in the liquid crystal. By virtue of the multi-micro-domains, the contrast ratio and the response speed are significantly improved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel optically active compound which exhibits an antiferroelectric liquid crystal phase and has a low threshold voltage and a low viscosity, a novel optically active compound which doesn't exhibit an antiferroelectric liquid crystal phase but can be incorporated in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal having a high threshold voltage to reduce the threshold voltage thereof, an antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the compound, and a process for the reduction of the threshold voltage of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I) and a liquid crystal composition containing the same. The compound exhibits an antiferroelectric liquid crystal phase and has good compatibility with known liquid crystal compounds. ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkanoyloxy or alkoxycarbonyloxy group having 4 to 16 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 represents a straight-chain alkyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms in its branch and 4 to 12 carbon atoms in total; X represents an oxygen or sulfur atom; rings A and B each represent an F-substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, a cyclohexylene group or a divalent nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, provided that either one of rings A and B is the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group; ring C represents an F-substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group; and C* represents an asymmetric carbon atom.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 represents a straight chain alkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms; and * means an asymmetric carbon atom, and an antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising at least one liquid crystal compound as defined above. The optically active compound of the present invention is highly miscible with a number of known antiferroelectric liquid crystal compounds and thus capable of providing liquid crystal materials having improved temperature properties. A liquid crystal composition containing the optically active compound of the present invention is applicable to electro-optical devices with the use of antiferroelectric liquid crystals.

Abstract: A reagent system and method are described for optically measuring direct bilirubin by the reaction of a bilirubin oxidase, oxidizing agent or diazonium salt, with the direct bilirubin, wherein a tetrapyrrole compound is provided in the presence of the bilirubin oxidase, oxidizing agent or diazonium salt. It is possible to accurately measure the direct bilirubin, which is known to increase considerably in the biological fluids of patients having obstructive jaundice, etc. The reagent system and method are useful in clinical settings, etc.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of operating an active matrix liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates and at least one active device to each of picture element electrodes on at least one of the substrates, so that a driving signal applied to a picture element electrode during one frame cycle is always on a side of a voltage having an identical polarity, which is substantially free from scattering in the display, can be operated at a low driving voltage and obtain high contrast.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for a hydraulically operated vehicular transmission which has a plurality of hydraulic engaging elements, an orifice is disposed in an oil passage which is communicated with a hydraulic engaging element for a low-speed transmission train. The control apparatus has a bypass passage which bypasses the orifice, a control valve which can be switched between a communicated state in which the bypass passage is in communication and a cut-off state in which the communication of the bypass passage is cut off, and a control circuit which changes over the control valve to the communicated state under a predetermined condition at a time of switching from a running range to a neutral range.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device is described. The device comprises a pair of substrates, an electrode arrangement formed on the inside surface of the substrates, an orientation control surface provided on the inside surface of one of said substrates, and a blended ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates. By suitably preparing the liquid crystal, multi-micro-domains are formed in the liquid crystal. By virtue of the multi-micro-domains, the contrast ratio and the response speed are significantly improved.